


Do  You Believe In Magic?

by Brumeier



Category: The Three Investigators | Die drei ??? - Various Authors, The Trixie Belden Mysteries - Julie Campbell Tatham & Kathryn Kenny
Genre: Animal Transformation, Case Fic, F/M, First Meetings, Humor, Kidnapping, Magic, Pets, Private Investigators, Witchcraft, Witches
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-01
Updated: 2020-02-01
Packaged: 2021-02-27 22:08:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,017
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22503022
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Brumeier/pseuds/Brumeier
Summary: Jupiter is working a case when the clues lead him to a self-proclaimed witch who isn't particularly good at spells. But she gets under his skin, and that's magic of a different kind.
Relationships: Trixie Belden/Jupiter Jones | Justus Jonas
Comments: 5
Kudos: 5
Collections: Story Works





	Do  You Believe In Magic?

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the story_works paranormal challenge

**Rocky Beach, California, 1970**

Jupiter double-checked the address he’d scribbled inside his notebook. Mavis Appleton’s trail had led to the house of a self-proclaimed witch, but the building in front of him didn’t look dark or dreary or at all like there was a scabrous old woman inside mixing up potions in a cauldron. Jupiter would’ve expected peeling paint and dead bushes. Instead, 1031 Zimmermann Road looked tidy and neat, almost cozy if one could use that word in conjunction with a house.

He was sure the address was correct; his research was never wrong. Jupiter stuffed the notebook into the pocket of his jacket and made his way up the stone walkway. There were pots of fresh, colorful flowers on either side of the door, which was painted bright blue. He knocked briskly and was immediately answered by a loud crash from somewhere inside the house, followed by a shouted curse.

“Hello?” he called out.

There was the sound of movement, and then the door opened. The woman who answered was young, early twenties by Jupiter’s estimate, wearing a blue shift dress and nothing at all on her feet. Her hair was short and curly, sandy blonde, and her eyes as blue as the front door.

“Can I help you?” she asked. There was a blob of something greenish on her forehead.

“Are you Miss Belden?”

“Yes.” She turned and looked over her shoulder, then let out an exclamation. “Quick!”

Miss Belden yanked Jupiter into the house by the front of his shirt and slammed the door behind him. The protest he was about to make died on his lips when he saw the big orange cat making a beeline for them.

“Naughty Heks!” She scooped the cat up and cuddled it before setting it back on its feet and shooing it away. “I’m sorry. The last time he got out it took me days to coax him back indoors. Who did you say you were?”

“Jupiter Jones. I need to –”

“Jupiter! But that’s wonderful! A dear friend of mine has a horse by that same name.” With that, Miss Belden abruptly turned on her bare heel and walked away. “Sorry! I have something on the stove!”

Jupiter followed, not sure whether to be frustrated or amused. He decided on the latter when he heard another curse and the clattering of pots and pans. He found Miss Belden in the kitchen, which was painted a sunny shade of yellow accentuated by pale blue appliances. He was beginning to suspect that blue was Miss Belden’s favorite color. There was a long, open shelf over the sink that held an assortment of glass jars, different sizes and styles, all of them filled with what looked like a variety of herbs and roots.

“I’ve ruined it,” Miss Belden said woefully. She had a large stockpot in the sink and was scooping out a spoonful of gelatinous green goo. “Gleeps! Not again.”

The cat rubbed against Jupiter’s leg, leaving a fair amount of orange hair behind.

“Miss Belden, I’m here to ask you about Mrs. Appleton.”

She looked over at Jupiter and ran the back of her hand across her forehead, smearing the gooey green blob. “Who?”

“She’s gone missing, and the day she disappeared she was supposed to come here. She confided in a friend.” Jupiter pulled out the notebook. “I believe she was in the market for a love potion.”

Miss Belden tapped the handle of the spoon against the rim of the pot. “Hmm. Oh, Mavis! Yes, she came to ask for some help. Her husband was distracted and she was worried he was stepping out on her.”

“Did you help her?”

“Are you a police officer?” Miss Belden countered, only just seeming to realize she’d let a complete stranger into her house.

“Private investigator.”

“How exciting!” Suspicion instantly morphed into interest. “So you were hired to find Mavis? Do you think she met with foul play? I hope not, she was a really nice lady.”

Jupiter didn’t bother mentioning that Mavis’ husband, Earl, had hired him to look into some threatening letters he’d been receiving. He’d been working the case when Mr. Appleton called him in a panic, his wife missing.

“That’s what I’m trying to find out.” 

Miss Belden gestured at the pot. “I’ve been working on something for her. Not a love potion, those never work out. Although this hasn’t been coming out right, either, and I’ve followed the recipe to the letter. I don’t know what I’m doing wrong.”

“Do witches follow recipes?” Jupiter asked, honestly curious. 

He’d never met someone who claimed to be a witch, and it was information worth knowing. Just in case something popped up in the future. Knowledge was power.

Miss Belden pointed at a dented metal recipe box on the kitchen counter. “Of course. These have been handed down in my family for generations, mother to daughter. Only I’m not very good at using them.”

Jupiter could well imagine that, since there was no such thing as magic or witchcraft.

“Do you know where Mrs. Appleton was going after she left here?” he asked.

“I suggested she cook a nice meal for Mr. Appleton.”

It was unlikely that Mr. Appleton’s distraction could be fixed by a fancy dinner, since Jupiter was certain it was related to the letters. Was Mrs. Appleton’s disappearance tied to that as well, or was it just a coincidence?

One thing was certain: there was nothing more he could learn from Miss Belden.

“Thank you for your assistance,” he said, tucking the notebook away once again. “If you think of anything else, please call me.”

Jupiter handed Miss Belden his card, marked with three question marks; a holdover from his childhood detecting club.

“Of course.”

“Oh. And you have a little something just there.” Jupiter indicated on his own forehead where the green streak was on Miss Belden’s. 

She blushed, rubbing it off with her thumb. “Thanks.”

Jupiter let himself out, careful of the cat. He didn’t anticipate crossing paths with Miss Belden again. In that instance, he was wrong.

*o*o*o*

When Jupiter arrived at his office the next morning, after a short commute from his upstairs apartment, he found the door unlocked and Miss Belden sitting behind his desk. She was wearing a blue peasant shirt with apples embroidered on the bell-like sleeves, and was intently studying a map.

The surprise of finding her there was probably the reason for the slight increase in his heart rate.

“You’re trespassing,” Jupiter said, depositing his scuffed leather case on the chair meant for clients.

Miss Belden looked up and had the decency to appear chagrined. 

“I know I shouldn’t have, but I just couldn’t wait. As my mother will tell you, patience is the last of my virtues.”

“Clearly. And I suppose you magicked your way in.”

“Lock pick.”

Jupiter raised an eyebrow at that.

“I’m forever misplacing my keys,” Miss Belden replied, a twinkle in her eye. “The lock pick is usually more reliable than a spell.”

There was no good reason to find that charming.

“What was so urgent?” Jupiter asked. The sooner he could get Miss Belden out of his office, the sooner he could get back to work.

Miss Belden patted the map with one hand. “I did a location spell to help find Mavis.”

Jupiter was certain he knew the answer, but he still asked the question. “And did it work?”

“Yes. Or maybe no. Take a look.”

Jupiter went around the side of the desk and took a closer look at the map, which showed Los Angeles and the surrounding area. There were five small pen marks, all of them in a thirty-mile radius of Rocky Beach.

“I’m sure Mavis is at one of these places,” Miss Belden said earnestly. “If only we can determine which one.”

“You’re not a very good witch,” Jupiter said, studying the map.

“Wow. That was so rude!” Miss Belden glared at him. “I’m doing my best to help you find Mavis. You could try to be appreciative.”

“I’ll find her through old-fashioned detective work, Miss Belden,” Jupiter replied, pretending not to notice how lovely she was when her temper was up. “Not through mystical mumbo-jumbo.”

“Mumbo-jumbo?” Miss Belden slapped her hands on the table and stood up. She was quite a bit shorter than Jupiter, but the gleam in her eye almost made him take a step back. “The women in my family aren’t frauds, Jupiter Jones!”

“All so-called magic is merely illusion and obfuscation,” Jupiter said.

Miss Belden’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t know what obfuscation means, but I don’t like the sound of it.”

“It means obscuring the truth.”

Jupiter would deny it if asked, but in that moment he swore that Miss Belden’s eyes glowed an unearthly blue for the briefest moment. 

“ _Ik zal Mavis vinder_!” Miss Belden shouted.

Jupiter had no idea how to respond to that, but he was saved from trying by the sound of a high-pitched tone and then a puff of smoke from the map. Jupiter and Miss Belden shared a wide-eyed look before looking to see what had happened. One of the marked spots on the map was now a hole, singed at the edges.

“Well,” Miss Belden said smugly. “I’d start looking there if I were you. Good day, Jupiter Jones.”

*o*o*o*

It wasn’t desperation, it was Jupiter being thorough. That’s what he told himself when he followed Miss Belden’s map clue. He didn’t really expect to find Mavis Appleton, but he did. Somehow finding Miss Belden there as well, trying to pick the lock on Mavis’ handcuffs, was far less surprising.

Jupiter should’ve seen the open window at the back of the run-down rental house and gone back to the office, instead of climbing in.

“What are you doing here?” he hissed at Miss Belden.

“What does it look like?” she whispered back without turning around.

Mavis looked between them, eyes wide.

“Mrs. Appleton, do you know the identity of your abductor?”

“His voice is familiar, but he wears a mask whenever he comes to see me. He’s a very pleasant young man.”

“Pleasant? He’s handcuffed you to the bed.” Although the cuffs were curiously padded.

Mavis nodded. “He’s been nothing but kind since then. He makes sure I eat, and he takes me to use the facilities.”

“I’m sure he’s a gentleman,” Jupiter said, “but we still need to get you out of here. Miss Belden –”

“I almost have it.”

Jupiter nudged her aside. “I have a key.”

Miss Belden gave him an assessing look. “You have your own handcuff key?”

Jupiter blushed at the insinuation. “I find it prudent to be ready for any situation that may occur. Most handcuffs have the same locking mechanism, so having a universal key comes in handy.”

He quickly had Mavis out of the cuffs, and she seemed no worse for wear because of them. 

“That does sound useful,” Miss Belden admitted as she repacked her lock picks. “I shall have to acquire one of my own.”

“Is Earl all right?” Mavis asked, sitting on the edge of the bed. “I hope he hasn’t been too worried.”

“He’ll be much better once you’re home, Mrs. Appleton. Shall we?” Jupiter gestured at the open window.

Miss Belden held up her hand. “Shouldn’t we try to capture Mavis’ kidnapper?”

“I’ll give my contact at the police department the address. They can take care of criminal apprehension.”

“I’m not pressing charges,” Mavis said.

“Mrs. Appleton –”

“The kidnapper could get away if we wait,” Miss Belden insisted.

Jupiter felt a headache starting behind his right eye. “Ladies, it would behoove us to leave as expediently as possible.”

He was thinking of a suitably dire circumstance that would get Mavis and Miss Belden out the window when the bedroom door burst open and a man wearing a blue jumpsuit and black ski mask rushed in.

Jupiter immediately pushed Mrs. Appleton behind him, and closer to the open window. 

“Who the hell are you?” the masked man, whose jumpsuit had the name _Chad_ stitched on it, asked. “Mrs. Appleton! Come back here!”

“I’m sorry!” Mavis said, halfway out the window. “It’s almost dinner time and Earl needs to eat regularly, or he gets ill. Don’t worry, I’m not pressing any charges.”

Mavis disappeared through the window and Chad gave a shout of frustration.

“You ruined everything!” he shouted at Jupiter, right before attacking him with fists and feet.

Jupiter grappled with him, but Chad was pretty strong, and he certainly wasn’t fighting like a gentleman. Miss Belden shouted at both of them, calling them ‘stupid masculine idiots’ and generally being loud and distracting. Chad caught Jupiter with a sucker punch that put him on the floor, all the breath knocked out of him.

“ _Doe hem geen pijn_!” Miss Belden shouted.

In the next instant, Jupiter had a very large rabbit sitting on his chest, peering down at him. There was no sign of Chad, and Jupiter was disconcerted to realize that the rabbit, which was almost entirely covered in dark gray fur, had a mask-like pattern of black fur around its eyes.

“Oh,” Miss Belden said. “I didn’t mean for that to happen.”

Jupiter looked the rabbit in the eye. “Chad, I presume?”

Miss Belden took charge of the rabbit and Jupiter got unsteadily to his feet. The rabbit wasn’t an illusion or obfuscation – it had weight, texture, substance. And there was little chance the rabbit had happened to be hopping past the bedroom door for Chad to use it as a distraction to escape.

If magic could be real, did he dare thing what else might be?

“Can you turn him back?” Jupiter asked.

Miss Belden scratched the rabbit’s head. “I don’t know. I’ll have to take him home with me, see what I can do. I might have to call my mother. If my brother Mart hears about this, he’ll never let me live it down.”

They left through the open window, Miss Belden first, then the rabbit, and finally Jupiter. There was no sign of Mavis.

“Let me give you a lift home,” Jupiter said. “Or do you plan on taking the rabbit on your broom?”

“Witch jokes? How original.” Miss Belden glowered. “Why do you assume I don’t have my own car?”

“There wasn’t one in your driveway, and you don’t have a garage.”

“Some detective you are,” Miss Belden said with a little sniff of derision. 

She extricated a bicycle, with full-sized basket welded to the front, from the little jungle of landscaping gone wild that made up the backyard. Part of Jupiter wished there’d be poison ivy in there.

“You really are insufferable,” Jupiter muttered as Miss Belden plopped the rabbit into the basket, where it seemed happy to remain for the duration.

“I don’t know that means.” Miss Belden stood astride the bike. “Good day, Jupiter Jones. You’re welcome for my help with this case.”

Jupiter watched her pedal off towards home, his headache worsening and his stomach tightening with what was surely hunger and nothing else.

“Insufferable,” he repeated.

*o*o*o*

Jupiter was losing his mind. It was the only logical explanation for him standing on Miss Belden’s doorstep in his cleanest shirt and the jeans that didn’t have a hole in the knee. There was no good explanation for the way his skin seemed to tingle the moment Miss Belden opened her bright blue front door.

“Jupiter Jones. Are you lost?”

“May I come in? Before the cat gets out?”

Miss Belden stood aside and let him through the door, though there was no sign of Heks.

“Did you put a spell on me?” Jupiter blurted out when he saw that Miss Belden was once again barefooted. There was something about her vulnerable toes that made him feel off-kilter.

Miss Belden grinned and shook her head. “Come have some lemonade.”

Jupiter followed her into the kitchen and sat at the little table by the window that looked into the backyard. There was a bird feeder and a little garden out there, and Chad the rabbit in a hutch. Miss Belden set a glass of lemonade in front of him.

“I didn’t put a spell on you,” she said, sitting in the other chair with one leg drawn up. Today she had on cut-off shorts and a sleeveless blue gingham shirt that tied at the waist. “You don’t believe in magic, remember? Mystical mumbo-jumbo.”

“I may have been hasty in my assessment,” Jupiter allowed.

He’d been preoccupied with thoughts of Miss Belden, even after closing the case. The Appletons had been reunited, the threatening letters had stopped, and Chad had been revealed as a former disgruntled employee of Mr. Appleton’s who’d been looking to collect on what he thought he was due via Mrs. Appleton’s ransom.

“Helping on your case was very exciting, I must admit,” Miss Belden said. “I’d be happy to offer my services again, if you need them.”

That tingly feeling was back.

“As a witch, or a lock-picker?”

“As a woman with a very particular skill set,” Miss Belden said with a laugh.

Jupiter pulled a small box out of his pocket and put it on the table. “I brought you something.”

“A present?” Miss Belden snatched it up, turning the box this way and that. “What is it?”

“Open it.”

“Why, Jupiter Jones. A handcuff key!”

“Miss Belden, I –”

She covered his hand with hers, still grinning. “I think maybe you should start calling me Trixie.”

“Trixie,” Jupiter said a little breathlessly. “Would you like to go out sometime? For dinner?”

“Hmm. I’ll have to consult the tea leaves first.”

“Tea leaves?”

Trixie laughed. “You should see your face right now! I was just teasing. Yes, Jupiter, I would love to go to dinner with you.”

He let out a sigh of relief.

Jupiter had no idea what was going to happen next, though he sincerely hoped he wasn’t about to be turned into a frog. For once he didn’t mind the unknown. 

Maybe he needed a little magic in his life.

**Author's Note:**

> AN: I literally finished this fic right at the deadline, so it’s unbeta’d. And hopefully makes some sense because I wasn’t fully awake for the last bit of it. Or as I’m typing this, actually.
> 
> Zimmermann Road was named for the character of Mrs. Zimmermann in my favorite John Bellairs book: _The Letter, The Witch, and the Ring_. 
> 
> Why is it set in the 70s? I have no earthly idea. LOL! I blame the exhaustion. And a vague idea of not having cell phones. Although I think I've been watching too much _Murdoch Mysteries_ because the dialogue sounds a bit more 1870s to me sometimes. Ah, well. Too tired to fix it.
> 
> Why Dutch? I blame Mrs. Vanderpoel. ::grins:: The name of the cat, Heks, is the Dutch word for witch.


End file.
